Cricket coach murdered
The week's news at a glance.
Kingston, Jamaica
The coach of Pakistan’s national cricket team was strangled to death, Jamaican police said this week, and speculation was rife that the murder was related to the game’s seamy underside. Bob Woolmer’s bruised body was found in his Kingston hotel room, following Pakistan’s upset loss to Ireland in cricket’s World Cup. Police say possible suspects include disappointed fans and even Pakistan’s cricketers, but press reports focused on the high-stakes gambling and allegations of game-fixing that have dogged the sport. Shortly before his murder, Woolmer told a Pakistani journalist that he was working on a book that would give the “honest facts” about match fixing in cricket. He was worried, he said, because page proofs were missing. Initial reports from Jamaica had indicated that Woolmer died of a heart attack.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Political cartoons for January 4Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a resolution to learn a new language, and new names in Hades and on battleships
-
The ultimate films of 2025 by genreThe Week Recommends From comedies to thrillers, documentaries to animations, 2025 featured some unforgettable film moments
-
Political cartoons for January 3Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include citizen journalists, self-reflective AI, and Donald Trump's transparency